Soy wax comes from soybean oil and paraffin comes from refined petroleum, and both make a perfectly good candle. What you will notice at home is less about the wax itself and more about the scent, the wick and how the candle is burned.
We sell both, on purpose. Here is how we think about the difference, without the scare stories.
What each wax is
Soy wax is pressed from soybeans and then hardened. It is soft, creamy in colour and melts at a low temperature, which is why you almost always find it poured into a jar or a tin rather than standing on its own.
Paraffin is a by-product of refining oil. It is harder, takes colour easily and holds a crisp shape, so it is the usual choice for pillar candles, dinner candles and anything decorative. It has been the standard candle wax for well over a century.
Neither is unusual, and plenty of candles are a blend of the two.
What you will actually notice
The scent. Soy tends to release fragrance gently and steadily, which suits a room you sit in all evening. Paraffin can carry a stronger, more immediate scent. Which is better depends on whether you want a room quietly scented or noticeably scented.
The look. Soy sets soft and matt, and can develop a pale, frosted bloom on the surface. That is natural and does not affect the burn. Paraffin sets smooth and slightly translucent, which is why light glows through it so well.
The burn time. This is where the labels matter more than the wax. Our large 380g botanical soy candles burn for around 45 hours. So do our medium mosaic glass candles, which are paraffin. Size, wick and jar shape decide how long a candle lasts. Read the burn time on the listing rather than assuming from the wax.
The spills. Soy wax is soft enough to lift off a table or wash out of a jar with hot soapy water. Paraffin is harder and takes a little more patience.
What matters less than people say
You will read that one wax is clean and the other is not. It is not that simple. Any candle, whatever it is made from, will smoke if the wick is too long or the flame is sitting in a draught. A well-made candle with a trimmed wick burns cleanly in either wax.
So we would not choose on fear. We would choose on what you care about. If you would rather burn something plant-based, choose soy. Our soy candles are vegan and paraffin-free, and say so on the listing. If you want a decorative candle that holds its shape and throws light through coloured glass, paraffin does that job better.
Whichever you light, open a window now and then. A room that is aired smells better than any candle can make it.
What matters more: how you burn it
These three habits do more for a candle than the wax it is made from.
- Give the first burn time. Let the melted wax reach the edge of the jar before you put it out. A candle that is snuffed early will tunnel down the middle every time after.
- Trim the wick. About 5mm before each lighting. A long wick is the usual cause of smoke and a blackened jar. Wooden wicks want trimming too: pinch off the charred edge once it is cold.
- Keep it out of a draught. A flickering flame burns unevenly and marks the glass. Move the candle, not the window.
And the plain rules: never leave a candle burning in an empty room, keep it on a heatproof surface, and keep it away from curtains, children and pets.
When a wax melt makes more sense
If scent is what you are after and the flame is incidental, a soy wax melt is worth a look. There is no wick to trim and nothing to tunnel. One of ours gives around fifteen hours in a standard burner. We wrote about the choice in more detail in wax melts or candles: which to choose.
What we would choose
For scent, every evening: the Seasalt & Moss Botanical Soy Candle, £26.95. A large 380g soy candle, hand-poured in Sheffield, with a cotton wick and around 45 hours of burning. Cool, green and easy to live with.
For a smaller soy candle with character: the Ash & Woodsmoke Wooden Wick Soy Candle, £14.95. Around 26 hours, paraffin-free, and the wooden wick crackles quietly as it burns.
For light rather than scent: the Amber Mosaic Glass Candle, Medium, £16.95. Unscented paraffin in golden mosaic glass, around 45 hours. It sits happily beside a scented candle without competing with it.
For scent with no wick to mind: Windermere Soy Wax Melts, £14.95 for a box of eight.
Or browse all of our candles and read the wax on each listing. UK delivery is free and takes 3–7 working days.
One thing we do not stock: a wick trimmer. Scissors work on a new candle, but a proper trimmer reaches down into a deep jar once the wax is low. Candle wick trimmers on Amazon will do the job. This is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.